Chapter Text
They were supposed to be asleep. Their parents had tucked them in an hour ago, yet neither of the siblings had been able to lay their head down.
Navia rolled over to face Neuvillette, who was reading a book about Fontainian law, her blue eyes catching the moonlight, “Neuvillette…?”
He shook his head, “No.”
She kicked her legs under the blanket, “I didn’t even say anything! You’re such a meanie.”
“I know what you were going to ask, Navia.” The young boy flipped the page, “You ask every night.”
“You don’t know that!” She crossed her arms, “Fine, guess what I was gonna ask since you already know.”
Neuvillette looked over at her, “You want to see the pretty water.”
Her eyes went wide, “How did you guess?!”
Neuvillette put his book down, “I can’t, Navia, Mother said I’m not supposed to use my powers. You know this.”
“Yeah.” She flopped down on her side of the bed, “But it’s so pretty! It’s the most beautiful, wonderful, bestest thing in the world!”
Neuvillette held a finger to his lips, “Quiet, Navia. The servants will hear us and tell Mother and Father we aren’t asleep.”
“I’ll be quiet! I swear…” Navia pleaded, “Please, Neuvillette, please! I’ll do whatever you want tomorrow, I’ll even let you read me those boring books!”
Neuvillette looked away. He couldn’t forget the way her eyes lit up whenever he shaped the water into something new. The way she gasped like every drop of concentrated water was a miracle. He went quiet, the only sound was the winds rustling through the clear skies.
“Only for a moment, okay? Then you have to promise to actually go to sleep.” Neuvillette sighed.
She nodded, “Okay, okay, okay! I will!”
The two rose from their bed and crept down the marble halls, the soft pattering of their feet against the cold floor. They walked out to the large fountain outside their window, Navia trying not to squeal the whole way.
Neuvillette went to lift his hands, hesitating for a moment. Everyone had warned him that he shouldn’t use the elements without a purpose. But this was Navia.
He slowly raised his hand, a ripple of water leaving a trail behind his fingers. It floated in the air like gravity couldn’t reach the space in between them. It twisted and curled into the shape of a little squirrel.
She immediately squealed, “Neuvillette! It’s so cute!”
He shushed her, “Navia…keep your voice low.”
“Sorry.” Her eyes were shining, “It’s just amazing!”
The squirrel hopped into Navia’s outstretched hand, scurrying about in her palm. The water glittered under the light like it was reflecting the shimmer in Navia’s eyes.
She lifted a finger to try to pet its head. When she touched it, it popped and spilled water all over her dress. She didn’t care about that, she paid it no mind. She did care a lot about the fact that there was not a cute squirrel in her hands. Tears gathered in her eyes.
Neuvillette held out a hand, “Don’t cry, I’ll make another one.” He quickly shaped a finch from the water, “See? Look, Navia.”
Her tears dried up as quickly as they came, “Ooh!”
The tiny finch fluttered in the air before landing on her shoulder.
She looked at her brother, “He needs a friend!”
He nodded. He made a frog that hopped on the edge of the fountain.
Soon enough there were boars running around at her feet, cranes flying in the air, and crabs shuffling across the marble.
Navia darted between them, laughing so hard she almost tripped over her own feet.
Neuvillette couldn’t help but smile.
Then he heard the door slam somewhere inside the palace, a servant called out, “Princess Navia? Prince Neuvillette?”
Neuvillette stepped back, almost falling into the fountain.
His smile vanished, “Navia, they’re going to find us.”
She smiled brightly, “It’s okay! We can just–”
“No.” His heart beat in his chest, “It’s not.”
The finch launched itself from her shoulder with a startled cry. Every hydro creature froze.
Then the crane started to beat its wings frantically. The boars crouched low, their beady eyes filled with fear. The frog croaked, a low sickening sound. The fountain churned.
Another voice echoed, “Search the gardens!”
He waved his hands, “No, stop. Go away!”
The water ignored him. The sound of footsteps grew even closer.
The sky rumbled.
The animal's movements, once playful, were now frantic and unpredictable.
He looked at Navia, “Go inside!”
She tilted her head, “Neuvillette?”
He held out his hand, the animals stilling for barely a second, “I’m okay, go.”
He held one hand to his chest, trying to calm his heartbeat. The sky turned dark and the wind picked up. Rain splashed against the courtyard stones.
Lantern light swept over the bushes and shrubs of the garden, “They’re outside!”
The fountain erupted. Water surged upward, swallowing the tiny creatures with one twisting current. The squirrel, the finch, the frog, the boar, the crane all dissolved into one roaring mass.
He whimpered under his breath, “I’m scared…why isn’t it listening to me?”
Navia stepped forward, “Neuvillette?”
“Go away, Navia!”
She stomped her foot against the wet marble, “No! I won’t go!”
She crossed her arms, unaware of the writhing current around her and her brother. All she could focus on was his trembling hands and his wide eyes.
“I said go!”
The mass of water lurched, shooting forward before Neuvillette could pull it back.
The wave swept Navia off of her feet. She fell against the stone rim of the fountain and crumpled against the courtyard stones. The current collapsed into nothing more than an ordinary splash.
The rain was the loudest sound in the garden.
“...Navia?”
She didn’t answer.
He ran towards her, knees hitting the wet ground, “Navia!”
He reached out to touch her, to pick her up, help her, hug her, anything. But he pulled his hand back before he could. His hand was trembling so violently that he had to clench them into a fist to stop them.
Footsteps pounded across the courtyard, “There they are!”
Light flooded across the courtyard, illuminating the two children.
Their parents ran across the soaked stones. Their mother dropped to her knees beside Navia, their father grabbed Neuveillette's shoulders. Neuvillette flinched.
“What happened, son?”
Neuvillette couldn’t take his eyes off Navia, “I didn’t mean too! I told her to go away, I couldn’t stop it. It wasn’t listening to me.”
Their mother, Clementine, looked up at her husband, “Callas…she’s breathing.”
“Very good.”
Clementine pressed Navia’s face against her shoulder, “We need help.”
Callas asked, “Where?”
Clementine stood up, “I know a person.”